Pentagon: U.S. Forces Conduct Airstrike After Taliban Take Kunduz

WASHINGTON, September 29, 2015 — U.S. forces conducted an airstrike today on the outskirts of Kunduz, a provincial capital in northern Afghanistan that was taken yesterday by Taliban forces, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said today. The airstrike was a "force-protection strike conducted by a fixed-wing manned aircraft" to eliminate a threat to coalition and Afghan forces in the area, Cook told reporters. In a statement later, he said the strike was conducted by an F-16 against a Taliban target that was advancing toward the airport and presenting a threat to U.S. and coalition personnel. "We strongly condemn the attacks in Kunduz, and stand with the Afghan people in our commitment to Afghanistan's peace and security," he said during his briefing with reporters. Confidence in Afghan Forces The situation is a setback for Afghan forces, Cook acknowledged, but he said the...